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| Source: Mohammedan SC via X |
With a sublime performance away from home against Shillong Lajong, Mohammedan Sporting Club (SC) have finally won the I-League 2023-2024 championship and a promotion from the Indian 2nd tier league to the 1st tier league, the Indian Super League from the next season.
Throughout the season, both Mohammedan Sporting Club and Sreenidi Deccan FC have been involved in an intense league title race until Sreenidi getting a bit of a low that opened a big 8 points lead for Mohammedan.
However, the late season syndrome hit both the clubs. Mohammedan Sporting dropped points in their previous 2 matches against Real Kashmir FC and Inter Kashi, drawing both the matches. However, Sreenidi Deccan equally failed to capitalise on that as they themselves won 6-1 against Rajasthan United FC but then went on to draw against a 10-man NEROCA FC, who have already been relegated to the 3rd division of Indian football.
Going into the match against Shillong Lajong, Mohammedan Sporting had a 5 points gap, and a win would have sealed the I-League title for the Black Panthers from Kolkata.
Argentine midfielder Alexis Gomez gave Mohammedan the perfect start in the match, scoring a stunner from the halfway line in just 50 seconds into the match to give Mohammedan a 1-0 lead.
Later, Brazilian forward Douglas Tardin brought the match to the level again, scoring from the spot at the 15th minute of the match after Mohammed Irshad conceded a foul on a Shillong Lajong player inside the box.
But it was Russian forward Evgeny Kozlov who scored the most important goal of the season for Mohammedan SC. Kozlov came in as the substitute for injured Alexis Gomez in the 22nd minute of the match and his goal at the 62nd minute, cutting in from the right and left-footed shot towards the far post beat Shillong goalkeeper to put Mohammedan in the lead again.
Eventually, it was the goal that proved to be the decisive goal as Mohammedan slowed down the match and Shillong Lajong failed to score anymore goal. At the full-time, there were pure joy and emotions among the Mohammedan Sporting Club players and support staff, who have worked hard throughout the season to finally be able to call themselves the I-League 2023-2024 champion.
This win also means that Mohammedan Sporting Club have become just the 2nd team from the I-League to get promoted to the Indian Super League (ISL) on merit, by the virtue of winning the I-League. The first team being Punjab FC.
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